Spread Your Wings
by whereverwithyou
Summary: When a Supernatural fan hears a song where the first word is Sammy, this is what happens... Sam wants to go to college, but the rest of the family feels otherwise. A oneshot songfic set to Queen's 'Spread Your Wings.'


A/N: I know it seems kind of strange for me to write another story while I'm already in the middle of one... but I was listening to the song "Spread Your Wings" by Queen, and the first word of the song is "Sammy"... so you know any Supernatural fan's going to start imagining. :) This is just a short little one-shot that I wrote really spur of the moment last night. I was going to wait until my other fic was done so it wouldn't seem like I was abandoning that one, but this is sort of related to "Dead Man's Blood," so I figured I'd post it before the new episode. The story is set just before Sam goes off to college.

Spread Your Wings

Sam stared at the letter in disbelief for about the seventh time since he'd first read it. It had been sitting there for more than two hours, and he still couldn't believe it. As if it wasn't already enough to get accepted into _Stanford University_, he would be getting a _scholarship_, too. Sam grinned with excitement as he imagined himself in college- finally staying in one place for longer than a few months, not having to sleep with a gun under his bed, never having to deal with demons… then he sighed. Every time he imagined this, reality always came crashing back within a few minutes. There was no way his dad would let him go. Sam had spent the last two hours pondering his options… could he sneak out? Could he lie to his father and never tell him where he actually was? No, they were all pathetic. If he wanted to go to college, his only option was to stand up to his father and tell him the truth.

_Sammy was low_

_Just watchin' the show_

_Over and over again_

_He knew it was time_

_He'd made up his mind_

_To leave his dead life behind_

Sam heard the sound of tires glide across the pavement as an engine was shut off outside. His father was home. He took a deep breath… things were about to get ugly.

John Winchester opened the door. "Hey, boys," he greeted them. "I finally got rid of that Gablestown ghost. Nasty bastard." John put his gun against the wall and took off his coat. The entire time, Sam didn't take his eyes off him. John finally took notice. "Is there something you want?" he asked.

"Oh… h-hey, dad," Sam said nervously.

"What've you got there?" John asked, noticing the paper his son was clutching. Sam handed it over slowly and watched his father read it. "You applied to college?" John asked.

"It's Stanford, dad, I didn't think they were even gonna reply…"

"You _applied_, Sam?" John asked again. "Last time I checked, you didn't need to go to school to do what we do."

"Well… maybe I don't want to do this forever," Sam mumbled.

"What did you say?" John asked sternly.

"I said, I don't want to this forever," Sam repeated.

"So you're okay with abandoning your brother and me just so you can go to some school in California?" John asked. "Have you forgotten why we're doing this, Sam? Have you forgotten about your mother?"

"No, dad," Sam answered. "I'm not trying to be disloyal or anything. It's just that eventually, we're gonna need to do some other kinds of jobs, and going to college is the best way to ensure that I'll get a good position in the future."

"We're doing just fine with the way things are going now," John said.

"Yeah, credit card fraud can really stabilize a family," Sam muttered.

"Sam Winchester!" John shouted. "You are not to use that tone with me! Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Hmm?"

"Yes _sir_."

"Now hear this- unless you want betray this entire family, you will not go to any college anywhere."

_His boss said to him_

_Boy you'd better begin_

_To get those crazy notions right out of your head_

_Sammy who do you think you are?_

_You should've been sweeping up the Emerald Bar_

Sam turned around and walked off. That was pretty much how he'd anticipated that would go. He convinced himself to keep trying. His father may have said no, but it wasn't over yet. Sam _was_ going to get out of here.

_Spread your wings and fly away_

_Fly away, far away_

_Spread your little wings and fly away_

_Fly away, far away_

_Pull yourself together, 'cause you know you should do better_

_That's because you're a free man_

Sam flopped down on the motel bed, angry at the world and the role he was stuck with in it. He looked over at Dean, who didn't seem to be offering any sympathy. Why did it always seem like to Sam like his brother and his father would team up against him? Sam sighed and gazed at the letter again. This was his dream. If he didn't leave now, he'd probably end up being his dad's puppet forever- forced to do everything against his will. Sam was eighteen now- no matter how strict his father was, this choice was rightfully Sam's.

_He spends his evenings alone_

_In his hotel room_

_Keeping his thoughts to himself_

_He'd be leaving soon_

_Wishing he was miles and miles away_

_Nothing in this world, nothing_

_Would make him stay_

_Since he was small_

_Had no luck at all_

_Nothing came easy to him_

_Now it was time_

_He'd made up his mind_

'_This could be my last chance'_

Sam turned to Dean. "Do you really think I'd be betraying the family if I left?"

"Of course you would be," Dean said without question. "We've spent our whole lives dedicated to this cause. You quit now, you're a failure and a disgrace."

"Gee, thanks," Sam mumbled.

"I'm just telling the truth," Dean said. "You gotta stop thinking about yourself all the time."

But Sam couldn't do that. This was the first time he'd really had the chance to think about what he wanted. Lying there, he thought of the one person who could change his mind on any decision- his mother. What would she want? Would leaving seem like he was giving up on her? Thinking about it that way made Sam realize that whatever he did, his mom would want him to be happy. Sam's dream was law school- even if he failed, he was at least going to give it a try. He got up and started to pack a suitcase.

_His boss said to him_

_Now listen boy, you're always dreaming_

_You got no real ambition, you won't get very far_

_Sammy, boy, don't you know who you are?_

_Why can't you be happy at the Emerald Bar?_

Sam walked towards the front door of the motel room with his suitcase grasped firmly in his hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" John asked.

"College," Sam replied matter-of-factly. "I don't care what you think about it or how much you hate me for it. I want to go."

"I hope you realize that I won't let you come crawling back any time soon," John said. "The moment you walk out that door, you're on your own."

Sam blinked and opened the door. "Bye."

_So honey, spread your wings and fly away_

_Fly away, far away_

_Spread your little wings and fly away_

_Fly away, far away_

_Pull yourself together, 'cause you know you should do better_

_That's because you're a free man_

_Come on honey, fly with me_


End file.
